SATURDAY'S SCORES
Alabama State 12,
Southeast Missouri 7
@Kennesaw State 5,
Morehead State 1
Murray State 16, Gardner Webb 0
@Samford 6,
Murray State 5
Louisiana Tech 7,
UT Martin 3
@Mississippi State 4,
UT Martin 2
SIUE 5,
Troy 2
SIUE 3,
Elon 2
Southeast Missouri 11, Grambling State 7
James Madison 1,
Jacksonville State 0
Tennessee Tech 4, @Georgia Southern 2 (8)
#17 Auburn 9,
Eastern Illinois 1 (5)
Jacksonville State 6, UNF 5 (9)
ALABAMA STATE 12, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI; SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 11, GRAMBLING STATE 7
MONROE, La. - Alabama State (3-5) scored eight runs in the final two innings to get by Southeast Missouri (0-3), 12-7, Saturday morning at the Mardi Gras Classic.
Tied, 4-4, after five innings, ASU used a five-run sixth to ignite its late rally.
The Hornets had two home runs and an RBI-single in the sixth. Brittney Wilson hit a one-out solo shot before Diauana Nelson touched home on a two-out single by Carly Evans. Alexis Johnson followed with a three-run home run during the next at-bat to push ASU's lead to 9-4.
ASU tacked on another three runs in the top of the seventh courtesy of a two-out bases clearing triple by Evans. Evans' fourth hit of the day widened the Hornets lead to 12-4.
Southeast managed to get three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough.
Claire Wernig doubled home Jamie Woodworth and Kayla Fortner singled through the right side to score Wernig. Chelsea Smith scored the second unearned run of the inning to slice ASU's lead to 12-7.
Maddie Phelps (2-2) was credited with the win in relief. Phelps worked five innings, allowing four hits and three runs (two unearned).
Keaira Schilling (0-2) took the loss. Schilling gave up five runs on 11 hits, while striking out one in 5.1 innings.
Madeline Krumrey pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing seven runs on five hits. Krumrey also struck out two and walked three.
ASU pounded out 16 hits, with Evans going 4-for-5 with a run scored and four RBI. Valerie Centeno, Alexis Johnson and Wilson followed close behind with three hits each.
Fortner went 2-for-4 with a home run, run scored and three RBI to lead Southeast. Fortner homered in all three of her starts this season. Savannah Carpenter finished at 2-for-4, as well. In all, the Redhawks had nine hits.
- Lindsey Patterson went 4-for-4 with two home runs, two runs scored and five RBI to lead Southeast Missouri (1-3) to an 11-7 come-from-behind win over Grambling State (0-5) Saturday afternoon at the Mardi Gras Classic.
Patterson's red-hot performance helped get Mark Redburn his first career win as Southeast's head coach. She established new career-highs in hits and RBI, and tied her single-game career-best in home runs.
The Redhawks fell behind, 7-3, before storming back with eight runs on seven hits in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Savannah Carpenter reached on a one-out error and quickly scored on an ensuing home run by Patterson. Chelsea Smith singled and touched home on a two-out triple by Claire Wernig. Kayla Fortner, after hitting a home run in her first three games as a Redhawk, continued her scorching hitting, this time with a grand slam to put Southeast ahead for good.
Southeast also scored twice in the first on a two-RBI single by Patterson. She then came up again in the third and delivered a solo home run to left field in the third.
Keaira Schilling (1-2) nailed down her first win of the season. Schilling struck out one and gave up three hits in 2.1 innings of relief.
Nicolette Wunderly (0-1) suffered the loss for GSU. Wunderly was charged with all 11 runs, struck out three, walked one and allowed 14 hits in 4.2 innings.
Offensively, Southeast pounded out 15 hits. Taylor McDannold, Wernig, Fortner and Smith also had multiple hits. McDannold went 3-for-3 with a walk and run scored, Fortner went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI, Wernig was 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI and Smith finished at 2-for-4 with a double, run scored and RBI.
The Redhawks conclude play at the Mardi Gras Classic against Grambling State Sunday. First pitch is set for 10 a.m., CT.
KENNESAW STATE 5, MOREHEAD STATE 1
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State softball team scored in each of the first four innings and never looked back in a 5-1 victory over Morehead State on Saturday afternoon at Bailey Park. The contest was part of KSU's Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament.
The Owls, who are members of the Atlantic Sun Conference, improve to 4-2 overall and 4-2 at home. The Eagles, who compete in the Ohio Valley Conference, slip to 2-4 overall and 0-2 on the road. KSU is now 1-1 in the weekend event, while MSU closes out 0-2.
Morehead State was originally scheduled to play four games in the Georgia tournament, but the slate was reduced for all teams due to cold weather. The final two contests of the weekend affair feature nationally-ranked Kentucky against IUPUI and UK versus KSU.
Morehead State plated its only score in the first inning on an error. Kennesaw State answered with solo home runs from junior shortstop Kara Chambers and junior first baseman Megan Veringa. Chambers added a two-run blast in the third inning to make it 4-1.
Junior catcher Emily Bishop joined Chambers with multiple hits for the Owls. Sophomore shortstop Karly Thompson paced the Eagles by going 2-for-3. Kennesaw State notched seven hits, while Morehead State collected just three. Both teams committed one error.
Junior left-hander Morgan Sikes, who struck out eight and allowed just two base knocks in six scoreless frames, picked up the victory. Sophomore right-hander Megan Tymorek, who gave up all three Kennesaw State long balls in 2.2 innings, was pinned with the loss.
Morehead State returns to action on Friday and Saturday at the Jackson State Tournament in Mississippi. The Eagles are slated to play JSU and Northwestern State two times each.
LOUISIANA TECH 7, UT MARTIN 3; MISSISSIPPI STATE 4, UT MARTIN 2
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team produced a valiant effort against host Mississippi State before falling just short 4-2 following a tough loss against Louisiana Tech 7-3 to cap off the team’s stay in the February Freezer Saturday morning.
The Skyhawks (5-4) posted a .309 batting average, tallying 17 hits on the day despite the end results. With as much as the Skyhawks did well on the offensive side, they struggled inside the circle, combining to allow 10 earned runs.
Senior Samantha McClure and sophomore Carly Gonzales led the Skyhawks with four hits each on the day. As a whole, 10 Skyhawks tallied at least one base hit on the afternoon. Lauren Smith led the team with two RBIs and one triple. Gonzales, Casey Vincent and Jodie Duncan tallied the team’s other RBIs on the day.
Three pitchers saw action in the doubleheader with sophomore Elizabeth Wiegand (2-2) and senior Kenzi Tate (0-1) earning starts. The pair struggled on the day, allowing 13 hits and 10 earned runs in nine innings of work. Brooke Kennedy appeared in relief, allowing just one hit in three innings of shutout work.
Louisiana Tech 7, UT Martin 3
After a big comeback victory against Illinois in their last game out, the Skyhawks struggled early against the Lady Techsters, giving up three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Krysta Tutsch would get Louisiana Tech on the board in the opening frame with a three-run home run, scoring the pair of Anna Cross and Tori Charters in the inning.
The Skyhawks would look to trim into the lead in the top of the second inning. Alicia Hansen would lead off the inning by reaching on an error as Renate Meckl would follow that up by reaching via a walk. Following a groundball, Smith would drill her first career triple to score the pair and bring the game to a 3-2 score.
Louisiana Tech would strike for additional insurance in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Bianca Duran would double to left centerfield to score a pair. Janine Godwin would bring the third run of the inning across to score on an RBI groundout along with a successful double steal to give the Lady Techsters a 7-2 lead.
The Skyhawks would tally the game’s final run in the top of the seventh inning off an RBI double from Gonzales, but that would not be enough as the Skyhawks fell 7-3.
Tate would earn the start in the contest, seeing her debut inside the circle be cut short after just three innings of work. Tate struggled in the contest, allowing seven earned runs along with five hits and four walks. Kennedy appeared in relief, tallying three shutout innings while striking out two and allowing just one hit.
Mississippi State 4, UT Martin 2
The Skyhawks would get the bats going in the first inning against undefeated Southeastern Conference foe Mississippi State. Gonzales would lead off the inning with a double to right center before coming around to score on an RBI single up the middle by Vincent.
The visitors would add another run in the top of the fourth inning. McClure would single up the middle before swiping second and moving into scoring position. McClure would later come around to score on an RBI double down the right field line by Duncan, giving the Skyhawks 2-0 lead through four innings.
Mississippi State would answer in the bottom of the fifth inning. Three consecutive base hits, including a double and a pair of singles would plate the first run of the contest for the Bulldogs before a sacrifice fly would tie the game at 2-2.
The home squad would tally a knockout blow in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Mississippi State scored on an RBI single and a fielding error to take a 4-2 lead.
The Skyhawks would look to answer in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with one out, but would not find the necessary equalizer before ultimately falling 4-2 in the tournament’s final game.
UT Martin will return to the state of Mississippi in its next tournament appearance. The Skyhawks will take part in the Ole Miss Red and Blue Classic on Feb. Feb. 20-22.
MURRAY STATE 16, GARDNER WEBB 0; SAMFORD 6, MURRAY STATE 5
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - After surging to a 16-0 win over Gardener Webb in game one, the Murray State softball team suffered a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Samford on day two of the Samford Softball Classic in Birmingham, Alabama.
Game 1 – Murray State 16, Gardner-Webb 0 (5 Inn.)
The most runs ever against a non-conference opponent began when Jessica Twaddle hit the 13th grand slam in Murray State history, becoming the ninth player to accomplish the feat. In the second, Taylor Odom led off the frame for the Racers (5-2) with the second home run of the game and of her career to push the lead to 5-0.
In the fourth, Mallory Young began the inning with the second home run of her career to make the lead 6-0. Later in the inning, Twaddle essentially put the game away when she went yard for the second time in the game. Not only did the long ball make Twaddle the seventh player in MSU history with two home runs in the same game, but it gave her the school’s single game record for RBIs with seven.
Murray State would go on to add six runs in the fifth with RBI-singles from Shelbey Miller, Alexa Becker and Kaylyn Zierke. Julia Liceaga recorded her first collegiate walk, hit, run and RBI all in the same inning when she batted twice during the fifth.
Miller finished the game at 3-for-4 with three runs and a RBI, while Becker was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs. Odom ended her day at 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, three, runs, a RBI and a walk, while Twaddle was 2-for-3 with three runs, a walk and seven RBIs.
Gardner-Webb (1-5) could not seem to find answers for CheyAnne Gaskey in the game as she gave up no runs on just one hit with and only two walks with five strikeouts over four innings of work. Haven Campbell entered the game in the fifth and allowed just one hit and no walks, while striking out the side, to share in the shutout.
Game 2 – Samford 6, Murray State 5
Murray State (5-3) was first on the board in the second game of the day when Jocelynn Rodgers tallied her fourth double of the season in the second to score Maggie Glass for the early 1-0 lead. However, Samford evened things out in the bottom of the frame when Taylor Haan scored on a single from Abbie Miranda.
In the third, Caitlin Bice took the ball deep for a home run that scored Abby Adams to give the Bulldogs (6-2) a 3-1 lead. Maggie Glass answered in the fourth for MSU when she doubled to score Alexa Becker. Glass came home two batters later on a ball that was thrown into the dugout to tie the game at three all. Later in the inning, the Racers surged ahead on a two-RBi single by Cayla Levins to give Murray State a 5-3 lead.
The scored stayed the same until the bottom of the seventh when Adams singled with two outs. In the next at bat, Bice tied the game at five with her second home run of the game. After Haan drew a walk following Bice, she was brought home soon after on a walk-off single by Callie Brister for the 6-5 Samford win.
Gaskey took the loss for Murray State allowing three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks to fall to 1-1 on the season.
Murray State will close out play in the Samford Softball Classic on Sunday when the take on Nicholls State at 11 a.m. The Racers beat the Colonels earlier in the weekend, 4-3, on Friday evening.
SIUE 5, TROY 2; SIUE 3, ELON 2
ATHENS, Ga. – Freshman pitcher Baylee Douglass earned her first collegiate victory and second save of the season as SIUE swept a pair of games at the Bulldog Invitational.
SIUE improved to 7-2 to start the season with a 3-2 win over Elon and a 5-2 triumph over Troy. The Cougars are scheduled to a play a single game Sunday at 10:30 a.m. CT against Georgia to close out the tournament.
With both games coming down to the final inning, the Cougars grabbed the lead early and held on against Elon. In the Troy game, the Cougars were behind early and used a four-run fifth inning to defeat the Trojans a second time on this road trip.
In the Elon game, Haley Chambers went six innings and struck out seven to improve her season record to 5-0.
Douglass got the call in the seventh inning. The first two batters she faced popped up, and Emily Roper struck out to complete the game.
Douglass said the difference between her and Chambers' pitching styles can throw opponent hitters off.
The SIUE offense scored all three of its runs against Elon in the second inning.
Brittany Toney smashed a two-run home run with Alex McDavid on base. After a single by Rebecca Gray, Jordan LaFave tripled her home.
In the Troy game, SIUE found itself down 2-0 on a pair of RBIs by Amanda Winters.
Douglass came into the game in the third for starter Alexis Kohrs. Douglass threw the final 4 1/3 innings and did not give up a run.
The Cougars didn't get to Troy starter Ashley Rainey until the fourth inning when Amy Hunt singled home Alex McDavid, who reached on a two-out double.
Tess Eby started the game-winning rally in the fourth inning.
Haley Adrian pinch ran for Eby and advanced to second on a single by Gray. After Chambers was hit by a pitch, LaFave delivered a two-run single to score Adrian and Gray.
LaFave and Chambers stole second and third. LaFave scored on a sacrifice fly by Allison Smiley. Chambers later scored on an infield out off the bat of Rachel Keller.
SIUE outhit Troy 8-5 with two hits each from Eby and Gray. The Cougars have 71 hits in the first nine games and have several players hitting better than .300.
GEORGIA STATE 7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 6; #17 AUBURN 9, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1
AUBURN, Ala. - Eastern Illinois softball dropped a pair of Saturday (Feb. 14) contests in second day action of the Auburn Tiger Invitational, falling to Georgia State in walk-off fashion, 7-6, before losing to the #17-ranked host squad in five innings, 9-1.
The two losses move the Panthers to 3-5 on the early-season as EIU finishes up tourney action tomorrow morning at 9:45 a.m. against Ball State.
The Panthers enjoyed an early 6-0 advantage over the GSU Panther unit as senior Hannah Cole delivered an RBI single up the middle to plate classmate Bailey O'Dell in the first inning. O'Dell added with a solo bomb and sophomore Hannah Rachor added an RBI shot to score Cole in the fourth.
Then in the fifth frame, O'Dell added her own RBI single through the right side to bring home freshman Tori Johnson, who also earned a stolen base in the contest, while sophomore Amber Toenyes nabbed a hit-by-pitch RBI to score junior Jennette Isaac.
The Panthers of GSU would counter with six scores of their own in the bottom of the fifth, however, thanks to three consecutive home runs, then in the bottom of the seventh, the designated home GSU squad earned the comeback win with an RBI shot up the middle to earn the walk-off victory.
Freshman Jessica Wireman was tagged for the loss for EIU as she shared time in the circle with classmate Michelle Rogers. The pair combined for three Ks and three walks.
Team-wise, both Panther units tallied seven hits and an error.
In the nightcap loss to Auburn, the Tigers used a six-run first inning, off three two-run homers, to pull ahead for the five-inning victory. However, the Panthers did earn a late score in the bottom of the fifth as Issac drilled an RBI double to left field to plate junior Katie Watson.
Junior Haylee Beck led EIU with a 2-for-2 plate performance , as Cole, Watson and junior April Markowski also added respective shots.
Rachor was tabbed for the loss in the circle as she joined Rogers for five strikeouts, which outpaced the SEC power's pitching staff.
JAMES MADISON 1, JACKSONVILLE STATE 0; JACKSOVNILLE STATE 6, UNF 5
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Senior Melanie Steer drew a walk-off walk in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Jacksonville State softball team to a 6-5 win over North Florida after the Gamecocks fell 1-0 to James Madison earlier in the day.
The Gamecocks (5-4) saw their third pitching gem in as many games early on Day Two of the UNF Tournament but overcame a late rally by the Ospreys in the second game to earn the split on the day.
After the host Ospreys erased a 5-1 seventh inning deficit to send the game into extras and both teams failed to push runs across in the eighth, JSU finally pushed the winning run across the plate in the ninth.
In the nightcap against the host Ospreys, the Gamecocks got on the board first and did so in the third inning. Savannah Sloan led off the frame with a single and stole second to set up an RBI single from freshman Jordan Bullock.
The Ospreys tied it in the top of the fifth, but the Gamecocks came right back in the bottom half to reclaim the lead at 3-1. Cadi Oliver singled up the middle to drive in freshman Jordan Bullock and then an error after an Ella Denes single allowed Oliver to score.
A pair of UNF errors proved costly in the sixth, when the Gamecocks got two more runs across. A leadoff single from Jamie McGuire got it started and errors on back-to-back balls hit by Emily Woodruff and Bullock allowed the runs to score and gave JSU a 5-1 advantage.
The Ospreys stormed back in the seventh, getting a two-run double from Katie Mandigo and a two-run single from Stephanie Schmidt to tie the game at 5-5.
Ella Denes led off the home half of the seventh with a double to the gap in right center and another UNF error seemed to put JSU in business. McGuire got under her bunt attempt, popping into a double play and Taylor Sloan grounded out to end the threat and send the game to extra innings.
The Ospreys got a runner at second via the international tiebreaker to start the eighth and bunted her over, but Logan Green got a pair of ground outs to get out of the inning without allowing a run.
JSU pushed its runner to third in the home half of the inning with no outs but couldn't score, sending the game into the ninth. After UNF failed to score in the top of the inning, JSU finally capitalized in the home half.
Sara Borders started the frame on second, and the Gamecocks loaded the bases after an Oliver walk and a Denes single, setting up Steer's game winning walk.
Sophomore Logan Green (3-1) earned the win in relief for JSU, holding the Ospreys off the board and to just one hit in 2.1 innings of work. Freshman Whitney Gillespie tossed the first 6.2, allowing five runs on nine hits.
Kaylie Wallace suffered the loss for UNF after walking in the winning run. She pitched 2.0 innings, allowing the one unearned run and just one hit. Kayla Goff pitched the first six frames, giving up five runs, two earned, on 10 hits.
In the opener, JSU's Taylor West went toe-to-toe with JMU's Jailyn Ford, an All-American a year ago and a member of the National Player of the Year Watch List for 2015. An unearned run in the sixth broke a scoreless tie and gave the Dukes the only run of the game.
JSU scattered four singles in seven innings against Ford, who struck out 10 in her complete game shutout. West suffered the tough-luck loss after surrendering just an unearned run on four hits in her six-inning complete game.
The Gamecocks wrap up the weekend on Sunday with an 11:15 a.m. CT game against Virginia Tech.